SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Yonhap) -- Responding to mounting problems with international marriages, the South Korean government said Wednesday it will strengthen requirements for would-be international couples.

South Korea has seen a sharp rise in the number of international marriages in recent years as more local men, especially those living in rural areas, tied the knot with women from other Asian nations. According to Statistics Korea, international marriages numbered 33,300 in 2009, 34,235 in 2010 and 29,762 in 2011, compared with 4,710 in 1990.